Category Archives: Side Dishes

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WHEW DOGGIE! It is hot here in California, between June and July we get into the 100+ degree temperatures and I can’t fathom myself to make hot food for any one of my 3 daily meals. That is how this gem of a dish was born. I always have left over avocado, sweet peppers and cilantro lying around. (Remember I love Mexican food!) So I was dreaming of a cool summer dinner with little fuss and easy to make, to keep the summer fun going from the day. I am always down to stuff a pepper (that sounds so wrong, but so good at the same time!), and there are endless possibilities with these. My next version will include grated onion and crispy bacon!

I decided to head to the Farmer’s Market this week and found some gorgeous fresh and organic vegetables, which included the pea shoots you see in this recipe as a garnish. If you haven’t tried these, please do yourself a favor and do so. I first had them from a restaurant that served them with fried calamari. It was all I could do to eat the calamari because these pea shoots were too delicious. Anyway, they are a must try if you can find them. They go great on top salad, in sandwiches, on top or raw food such as this or any other way you can think of!

My kids love meat (as do I), but recently I have been making meatless meals for myself and finding I still get filled up. I will never give up meat, it just isn’t in my bones, but every now and then not having to “worry” about what meat to use is a nice thing.

I had only 1 kid willing to try this meal, she said she liked them, but did she have another? NO! It’s ok though, sometimes food such as this are an acquired taste. Regardless, I was happy and cool while eating them with a nice refreshing vodka spritzer and my feet up listening to my spotify tunes! If you are ready to enjoy a quick, easy and healthy meal, read on:

You know how we LOVEGreek Yogurt, but it takes a toll on our pocket books? Well here is an easy, NO FAIL way to make it yourself at a fraction of the cost in 2 easy steps, AND you can make it savory or sweet! It is thick and creamy just like the store stuff, you will lovethis, I promise!

Find a strainer that will fit over a bowl and add yogurt into strainer.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Remove from refrigerator and discard the whey in bowl.

Place into an airtight container, I used the same one it came in after I cleaned it that way you will know the expiration date. Keep refrigerated.

Add to your favorite savory dishes or dips, like my Spicy St. Patty’s Day Deviled Eggs, or my Tzatiziki; Or try your endless options with sweet toppings like fresh strawberries, granola, honey, or any fresh in season berries!

I found this idea from a friend, you can visit her page here. She had shared it on her Facebook page and I snagged it as soon as I saw it! If you don’t know I have decided to try to lose weight, and prepare for a 5K in 5 months, so I have been looking for alternative food options and low caloric fat content. Deviled eggs is so not on that list! Eggs in general are good for us, but when you add in mayonnaise (which I LOVE) it throws it back into oblivion.

Anyway, my kids all like deviled eggs too and they usually like the same old same old. I have tried making variations to no avail, they just want the “plain” way. So when I made this I didn’t even think of them, I was just thinking this would be lunch and snacks for the next 2 days. As soon as the kiddos came home they instantly saw them and wanted to try, I mean they are green right, cool color, to the yellow version. AND it is creeping up on St. Patrick’s Day, they think I am trying to be festive! I love it 😀 They all grab one and chow down…EVEN my, “I hate mayo kid”! “Hey Mikey, they liked it!” (remember that commercial?)

Needles to say my plan of snack and lunch for 2 days went down the drain at that point, but that is ok, a good fat & mayo free snack has now been added to our repertoire AND it is holiday friendly!

There is one thing my household loves more thanavocadoand that is bacon. That is why when I saw this recipe I instantly knew I HAD to make it, and soon.

This recipe is from my sweetest and most awesome friend Bernadette. Her fabulous blog isRantz From My Crazy Kitchen.You can find many amazing recipes there including a page with 58 bacon recipesfrom breakfast all the way through to dessert, which means you can have a PORK PARTY all day! You can view Bernadette’s recipe for her outta this world guacamolehere.Below is my version with just a slight modification.

INGREDIENTS

2 avocados

4 slices thick center cut bacon

1/4 cup purple onion, diced fine

3/4 tablespoon jalapeno, diced fine

4 heirloom cherry tomatoes diced

1/2 lime juiced

1/2 lemon juiced

2 cloves garlic, minced (small cloves or 1 big one)

handful of freshly chopped cilantro

dash of salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cut up bacon in bite sized pieces and fry the bacon with the onions until crisp. (this is money right here, in the voice of Guy Fierre!) If you prefer less done/burnt onions, remove as you are cooking. I enjoy crispy bacon and crispy onion and they cooked together the entire process in a pan of marriage bliss! Drain everything on a paper towels when done.

Who doesn’t love a good S’more? It used to be it was just a camping affair, but not anymore. Not with all the talented cooks coming up with amazing recipes to create fond memories of campfires past. In fact this S’mores Bread was created by a good friend of mine Becca over at It’s Yummilicious.

Of course if given the chance to make a sweet treat that involves chocolate I have to over do it. So this is why I call it the Ultimate S’mores Bread. Now, there will be no more waiting for summer, no more waiting for camp fires…my S’mores addiction can be curbed at anytime with a few simple ingredients that I tend to keep on hand anyway.

Using a foil or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, arrange the crescent rolls with the large side toward the middle and the points hanging over the edge.

Crush your graham crackers and sprinkle them down the center of the crescent rolls like the picture below.

Next add your chocolate chips & white chocolate chips

Next add your mini marshmallows and begin to fold the points of the crescents up and over the top creating a braid.

Melt the butter and brush over the top of the braid. (or you can cut up the butter and place on top)

Next sprinkle the cinnamon, marshmallows and a few mini chocolate chips over the top.

Cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the braid is golden brown and the marshmallows are too. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting into. Sink your teeth into the blissfully decadent sweet bread that since it is made with croissants, I justify eating for breakfast too!

This is a quick and easy dinner or appetizer for the family or the family get together, it would be great for a party too. You could halve the biscuits and use mini muffin tins!!

My kids are always helping in the kitchen, and this is a great way to get them in there where they can do little damage if something goes wrong. I have 1 kid roll the biscuits and 1 scoop the meat mixture in the muffin tins. They are happy as clams!

This dish comes out as a nice savory dense biscuit, when you bite into it you get a sweet tangy bite on the tongue. After 2 biscuits, the kids have full bellies!

In about 30-40 minutes you are done with the entire meal (except clean up) but the kids can do that while you put your feet up and relax with a glass of wine! After all, all you had was a itty bitty muffin for dinner 😀

Can you believe my grandma sent me this recipe??!! LOVE YOU GRANDMA!!!

Place in a safe, cool environment for 1 week. Everyday swirl the bottle around to mix up the contents. Do not tip upside down it might leak.

After 1 week, dump oil into a bowl to remove Rosemary and garlic.

Replace back in bottle with stopper.

Refrigerate for longevity. Lasts 2 weeks, if you opt to keep in rosemary and garlic, 1 week.

You can change up the ingredients to your tastes. I use these two ingredients all the time so this is my favorite. This makes a nice gift for Grandparents, Parents, Bosses, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Hostess Gift, & Housewarming. Use for making salad dressings, pan frying chicken, fish, shrimp, beef, pork, & lamb.

OTHER HERBS TO USE:

Thyme

Oregano

Whole Dried Chili Peppers

Dried Chili Pepper Flakes

Fresh Sage Leaves (another fav!!)

Lemon Peelings + zest

Lime Peelings + zest

Whole Peppercorns

When choosing herbs and combinations of them, (especially the spicy ones) make sure to start off with small quantities and add to it from there. As you can see in the original recipe I only use small quantities. Fresh herbs are very powerful and infuse the oil very well.

Let cool completely and store in airtight container. I put mine in decorative mason jars for Christmas gifts. This would also be good for birthday gifts, hostess gifts, parties, baby showers, Thanksgiving snacks, mother’s day gifts, and father’s day gifts